Safety attachment for aeroplanes



April 23, 1929. c HARPER 7 1,710,618

SAFETY ATTACHMENT FOR AEROPLANES Filed Aug 26, 192'! gi /I 56' in l 3:.

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I l munvu I i INVENTOR. ng -flarpe A TTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 23, 1929.

ANGELO G. HARPER, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

SAFETY ATTACHMENT FOR AEROPLANES.

Application filed August 26, 1927. Serial No. 215,673.

This invention relates to a safety attachment for aeroplanes and has for its object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, to retard the fall of the aeroplane in a mannor to insure for a safe landing thereof in the event of the inactivity of the driving means for the aeroplane, or when the motor, propeller or wings become damaged.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a safety attachment for aeroplanes under c0nvenient control of the aviator and for sus pension from the bottom of the fuselage, driven from the interior of the latter, independent of the driving motor of the aeroplane, for retarding the descent of the latter, in case of accident to the driving and sustaining means of the vessel, thereby providing for a safe landing and non-injury to the vessel, as well to the occupant or occupants thereof.

Further objects of the invention are to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a safety attachment for aeroplanes, which is comparatively simple in its construction and arrangement, strong, durable, compact, adjustable, operated independently of the driv ing means for the aeroplane, thoroughly etlicient in its use, preventing a too rapid descent of the vessel when its driving or sustaining means becomes inactive, readily installed in position without necessitating a change in structure of the vessel with which it to be. attached, and comparatively inexpensive to set up.

Vith the foregoing and other objects in view the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more specifically dc.

scribed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications can be resorted to which fall within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view in side ele- 5 vation, of an aeroplane showing the adaptation. therewith of an attachment therefor in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is a front elevation, partly in section of the safety attachment.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view, in plan, of the safety attachment.

Figure 4 is a section on line H Figure 2. a

Figure 5 is a modified form of the transmission shaft, broken away.

Referring to the drawings in detail 1 denotes a fuselage of an aeroplane, 2 a wing and a propeller driven by a suitable lnotor not shown, 4 the landing gear and 5 the bottom of the fuselage 1, and said bottom is provided at one side with a longitudinally extending slot 6 and an opening 7 arranged rearwardly of the slot 6. The landing gear 4 is arranged forwardly of the slot 6. The foregoing elements are of known construction, with the exception of providing the bottom 5 of the fuselage 1 with the slot 6 and opening 7 and said elements are illustrated so that the adaptation of a safety attachment, in accordance with this invention, can be illustrated in operative relation wit-h respect to the vessel.

The safety attachment, in accordance with this invention, includes a pair of spaced hangers 8, 9 each having its lower end formed with a bearing 10. The hangers are secured against the lower face of the bottom 5, by the holdfast devices 11 and said hangers are positioned at each side of said bottom 5 and a substantial distance forwardly with respect to the landing gear 4. Positioned between the bearings 10 a substantial distance below the bottom 5 of the fuselage 1, is a tiltable bar 12, provided at each end with a trunnion 13, which extends through and is mounted in a bearing 10. Each end of the bar 12 inwardly with respect to a trunnion 13 is provided with a depending socket forming member 14 which constitutes a hearing. The members 14 are disposed at right angles with respect to the ends of the bar 12.

Arranged below and spaced a substantial distance from the bar 12 is a support 15 provided at each end with an upstanding, right angular-1y disposed socket forming member 16 which constitutes a bearing, and said members 16 are arranged in alignment with the members 14. The support 15, in proximity to or spaced an appropriate distance from a member 16, is termed with a vertically diaposed arm 17 of less height than the height of the member 1.6 and provided at its upper end with a bearing 18. Interposed between the bar 152 and support is a pair of spaced suspension bars 19, 20 and which also provide combined connecting and bracing members. The bars 19, 20 are secured at their upper ends, as at 21 to the bar and at their lower ends are secured, as at 22 to the support 15. The suspension bars, in the proximity to their lower ends are formed. with openings 23 for a purpose to be n'esently referred to. The bars 19, 20 are spaced an appropriate distance from the socket forming members 14;, 1G.

The bar 12, support 1.) and bars 19, 20 provide a supper ing structure for a pair of retatable retarding elements which are horizontally disposed and as said elements are of like construction, but one will be described, as the description of one will apply to the other. The function of the retarding elements is to prevent atoo rapid descent or fall of the vessel in case that its propelling means become inactive or the win are injured, and by providing means to prevent a too rapid descent or fall of the vessel it culminates in a safe landing and prevents injury to the vessel as well as to the occupant or occupants thereof.

Each sustaining element comprises a vertically disposed hub 24 having a reduced upper end 25 and a reduced lower end 26 and with the reduced lower end 26 of greater length than the reduced upper end 25. The forming of the hubs 21 with the reduced ends provide shoulders 27, 28. The hub 2%, contrally thereof, is formed with a laterally extending annular flange 29 and connected therewith is a series of radially extending blades 39 having curved outer ends 31. The blades 30 are disposed at an inclination with respect to the longitudinal axis of the hub 24'. Mounted against the top and bottom edges of the blades, as well as being secured therewith, are flat holding rings 32 of appropriate outer diameter and. with the inner diameter there of slightly greater than the outer diameter of the flange 29. The rii 32 in connection with the holdtast means 00 l or securing the blades to the flange 29, prevent any twist or shift of the blades relatively to each other and maintain the blades in uniform spaced relation. The upper ei'als 25 o l? the hubs ei; tend into the socket forming members 1 l and the shoulders 27 ot the hubs abut against the lower ends of said members lit. 7 The reduced lower ends 26 oil? the hubs 21 extend into the members 16. l ixedly secured to each reduced lower end 26 by a hold'fast device 3'1 is the hub 35 of a bevel pinion 86 having the lower portion of its hub hearing ag inst the upper end of a member 16. The upper end of the hub 35 abuts against a shoulder QS. The bevel pinions 36 are driven, by a means to be presently referred to, to provide for the operation of the retarding elements. Mounted in the bearings 18 and extending through the openings 23 in the bars ll), :20 is a tl'ltIh-lilllt-F sion shaft 37, provi led at each end. with a bevel gear 38 meshing with a llfiltl gear 36, and on the operation o't one of the bevel pinions 36 the other will be simultaneously open ated due to the operative drive connection provided. by the shalt 37 and the pair of bevel pinions 38.

.The attachment includes an operating shaft and as illustrated in Figures 1, 3 and a said shaft comprises an end section 39, an end section 40 having a portion of its length flexible, an intermediate section ll having one end thereof enlarged as at 42, and formed with a socket as at 43, and further formed with a peripheral groove la. The end section 40 is connected to the SUCliOtOtl portion :l-il of the interi'nediatc section 41. The end section 39 connected to the intermediate section ll by a universal joint -15. One end oi. the support 15 is provided with a rearwardly extending bracket o arm -16 which provides a bearing :for the shaft section 39, and the latter is provided with a bevel pinion M, which meshes with one of the bevel pinions 36 for driving the retarding elements. Secured to the bottom 5 ot the fuselage 1 is a bracket 18 arranged in alimnncnt with that end of the support 15 which is formed by the arm at The shaft section ll is ournaled in the lower end oi. the bracket 4-8 and carries a bevel pinion 4L9. Arranged within the lusclage 1 and independent of the driving motor of the vessel, is a motor employed for d riving a vertically disposed shaft 51 which ontends down through the opening 7, is guided by the bracket 48, as well as supported thereby and carries on its lower end a bevel pinion 52 which meshes with the bevel. pinion 4:9. The upper end of the shaft 51 carries a bevel pinion 53 which meshes with a bevel pinion 5% formed on the end of the shatt of the motor 50. The motor is to be in convenientreach of the aviator, so that it can be thrown into operation to drive the retarding ele ments, when it is discovered that the driving and sustaining n'ieans ot the vessel are not functioning in a proper manner.

The supporting structure for the retarding elements can be tilted toi-wardly andv rear wardly and. itor such purpos-ie there is arranged within the tuselage 1. a shitting lever 55, having associated therewith a latching mechanism 56 thereto]: ot ltnown coir-itruction. The lever extends down through the slot 6 and coupled to the soc-licted portion 1-2 of the shaft section .11. The lower end of the lever 55 is termed with oppositely disposed pins 57 which operate in the groove ll. lly this arrangement the lever is connected with the operating shaii't, so that when the lever is shitlted in one direction the flexible she I' t section 10 will give to a certain extent and the operating shaft will bend in a manner at the universal joint 45, see dotted line position in Figure 1, and the supporting structure forthe retarding elements will be tilted rearwardly. \Vhen the supporting strueture is tilted forwardly the shaft sections 39, sit) and ll will assume a position reverse to that shown by dotted lines in Figure 1. The connection between the lever and operating shaft is such as not to interfere with the rotating of the latter.

The modified form of ope 'ating or transmission shaft shown in Figure 5 comprises an intermediate section 58 and a pair of end sections 59, 60, and the former is connected to the section 58 by a universal joint 61 and the section is connected to the section 58 by a universal joint connection 62. The section 59 is provided with a bevel gear 63 and the section 60 with a bevel gear 6%. The section provided intermediate its ends with an enlarged peripherally grooved portion for connecting therewith the lower end of the shifting lever 55.

Connected to the bars 19, 20 and arranged in paced relation with respect to the retarding elements are oppositely disposed, rearwardly extending, Windshields 65, 66 of arcuate shape and they function to deflect the air current created by the retarders, in a manner whereby the air currents created by one retarder will be deflected away from the other thereby functioning as deflectors.

' The rr-itarders rotate in opposite directions with respect to each other and one travels in the direction of the arrow 67 and the other in the direction of the arrow 68. The retarders are so mounted as to have a portion project laterally from each side of the fuselage, and when active function in a manner to retard the descent or fall of the vessel in case there is something wrong with the propelling and retaining means thereof. The retarders are rotated from the motor 50 at a speed to provide for etliciently performing the function for which the retarders are intended. The retarders are not driven from the driving motor of thevessel, but from an independent motor -apable of being quickly thrown into operation by the aviator when oc casion requires. The latching means which associates with the sl'iifting lever 55 will maintain the latter in set position so as to hold the supporting structure for the retarders in its adjusted. position as oftentimes as itis advinilile to dispose the retarders at an upward or a downward inclination.

It thought the many advantages of a safety attachment for aeroplanes, in accordance with this invention, can be readily understood. and although the preferred embodiment of the invention as illustrated and described, yet it is to be understood that changes in the details of construction can be had which will fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

lVhat I claim is:

1. A safety attachment for aeroplanes comprising a pair of horizontally disposed retarding elements for operation in opposite directions, means for suspending said elements from the bottom of the fuselage of the aeroplane, a motor positioned within the fuselage and independent of the driving means for the aeroplane, an operative drive connection for and leading from said motor to said elements, and vertically disposed deflectors carried by said suspension means and located between said elements.

2. A safety attachment for aeroplanes comprising a pair of horizontally disposed retarding elements for operation in opposite directions, means for suspending said elements from the bottom of the fuselage of the areoplane, a motor positioned within the fuselage and independent of the driving means for the aeroplane, an operative drive connection for and leading from said motor to said elements, means for simultaneously tilting said retarding elements, and oppositely disposed deflectors carried by said suspension means and associated with said elements.

3. A safety attachment for aeroplanes comprising a pair of horizontally disposed retarding elements for rotation in opposite directions, means for suspending said elements from the bottom of the fuselage of the aeroplane forwardly of the landing carriage of the latter, a motor positioned Within the fuselage rearwardly of the landing carriage of the aeroplane and independent of the driving means for the latter, an operative drive connect-ion leading to said elements from said motor, and means attached to said operative drive connection for tilting said elements in opposite directions with respect to the bottom of the fuselage.

4. A safety attachment for aeroplanes comprising a pair of horizontally disposed retarding elements for rotation in opposite directions, means for suspending said elements from the bottom of the fuselage of the aeroplane forwardly of the landing carriage of the latter, a motor positioned within the fuselage rearwardly of the landing carriage of the aeroplane and independent of the driving means for the latter, an operative drive connection leading to said elements from said motor, and a pair of oppositely disposed, rearwardly extending deflectors carried by said suspension means and associated with said elements to prevent the air current created by one passing to the other.

5. A safety attachment for aeroplanes comprising a pair of horizontally disposed retarding elements for rotation in opposite directions, means for suspending said elements from the bottom of the fuselage of the aeroplane forwardly of the landing carriage of the latter, a motor positioned within the fnseluge reamrardly of the landing carriage of the aeroplane and independent of the driving means for the latter, an operative drive connection leading to said elements from said motor, means attached to said operative drive connection for tilting said elements in opposite directions with respect to the bottom of the fuselage, and a pair of oppositely disposed, i'eaiwvardly extending deflectors carried by said suspension means and associated With said elements to prevent the air current created by one passing to the other.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature hereto.

ANGELO C. HARPER. 

